Articles filed under Smithson, Toby

Eat right, live well: Put protein-rich quinoa on your plateDec 2, 2014 6:11 AMBy Toby Smithson
When you think of protein, images of a juicy burger comes to mind. But, there are other protein sources beyond beef, chicken, pork or fish. Today, Toby Smithson focuses on an all-star plant-based protein that is also a grain — a grain that you'll find at your local grocery store and that doesn’t involve fussy preparation. That grain is quinoa.

Eat right, live well: You can’t beat the benefits of beetsOct 2, 2014 6:14 AMBy Toby Smithson
There are more than 60 types of sugar but I bet you rarely think of beets as a sugar source. Yet beets are higher in natural sugar than carrots and even corn. Beets are a vibrant purple-red root vegetable that add beautiful color to our plates and important nutrients to our diet. A 3-ounce serving of beets contains 8 grams of carbohydrate and about 35 calories.

Eat right, live well: Best oil for baking isn't the best for sauteing Sep 2, 2014 6:19 AMBy Toby Smithson
You want to eat healthier, but how do you choose an oil to incorporate into your diet? According to the science, there is no one “best” oil. All oils have 9 calories per gram (45 calories per teaspoon), and all contain different ratios of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated fat. Oils consisting primarily of mono and/or poly unsaturated oils still are favored for heart health.

Eat right, live well: Mustard dazzles at the dinner tableAug 6, 2014 6:01 AMBy Toby Smithson
There are three main types of mustard seeds, somewhat unique to specific cuisines, and each with its own unique flavor. The familiar yellow prepared mustard found on picnic tables across the country, well that starts with white seeds originally from the Mediterranean. Toby Smithson shares other ways to use this common condiment.

Eat right, live well: Spices, herbs rubs meat the right wayJul 3, 2014 9:40 AMBy Toby Smithson
Several recent studies have shown that eating food flavored with spices and herbs resulted in a nearly 1,000 milligram sodium reduction, and reduced fat in meals by nearly 70 percent. Summer is a perfect time to put these study findings to the test. Mix together a rub mixture and fire up the grill to perk up the flavor of lean proteins like skinless poultry, lean beef, pork and fish.

Eat right, live well: Milk’s nutritional benefits too important to ignoreJun 3, 2014 5:30 AMBy Toby Smithson
Wondering where you can get high quality protein, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, vitamin A, essential vitamin B12 and riboflavin along with calcium and added vitamin D? In a word: Milk. Registered dietician Toby Smithson tells us more about this nutritional powerhouse.

Eat right, live well: Bananas full of a-peeling health benefitsMay 5, 2014 12:15 PMBy Toby Smithson
Most likely, you and bananas need no introduction. Mashed banana was probably one of the very first solid foods you ever tried, and bunches of these curved fruits can be found on your counter throughout the year. The average American eats an astounding 25 pounds of bananas every year, but at a cost of only about 3 for $1 bananas are friendly to most food budgets in spite of this high demand.

Eat right, live well: Mushrooms add savory flavor without adding fatApr 8, 2014 5:57 AMBy Toby Smithson
One of nutrition secrets of mushrooms is their high vitamin D content. Few foods are considered good sources of vitamin D, which, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines is a nutrient lacking in the typical diet. Yet mushrooms, considered a vegetable in nutrition terms, are a good plant-based source of vitamin D. It seems mushrooms can produce vitamin D with chemical reactions energized by sunlight in the same way that people could if we lived near the equator and didn’t wear sunscreen.

Boost flavor so you can 'Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right'Mar 4, 2014 6:10 AMBy Toby Smithson
The theme this year for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' National Nutrition Month information and education campaign -- Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right -- is a perfect fit for Toby Smithson's column. Surveys show time and time again that people choose food based on its taste and flavor. She will prove there are plenty of healthy food choices that allow us to enjoy the taste of eating right.

Eat right, live well: A perfect pear Dec 2, 2013 2:15 PMBy Toby Smithson
Pears are one of the oldest cultivated fruits and there are more than 3,000 varieties worldwide. But, is one pear equal to another pear? Yes, and no. Nutritionally, pears, like other fruits and vegetables, provide a good source of fiber. Yet pears are special, offering 6 grams of fiber per serving and ranking them as one of the highest sources of fiber from a fresh fruit.

Eat right, live well: Don’t let pungent aroma keep you from onion’s nutrientsNov 5, 2013 1:26 PMBy Toby Smithson
Did you know that onions have a history with Chicago? In fact, Chicago was named after onions. Onions grew in abundance along the Chicago River and when the first French settlers asked local Indians the name of this area, they replied, Chicagoua, which means wild bulb plant, hence the onion. History is not the most interesting part of onion’s story. For that we have to get under its skin.

Beans add protein, nutrients to plant-based meals Oct 1, 2013 6:00 AMBy Toby Smithson
Just one day a week of replacing meat with other protein sources is all it takes for you to start enjoying some of the health benefits — like lower cholesterol and blood pressure — of plant-based eating. Beans can be a part of that plan.

Potatoes: Delicious and, yes, also nutritious Sep 9, 2013 10:23 AMBy Toby Smithson
Potatoes sometimes get a bad rap. A favorite on American dinner plates, potatoes often get associated with weight gain. You can blame that reputation on the ever popular fried french fries for that. In fact, potatoes are a nutritional powerhouse - high in vitamin C and good source of potassium and fiber. Toby Smithson tells us more about these super spuds.

Eat right, live well: Much to love about mangosAug 6, 2013 10:40 AMBy Toby Smithson
Mango, often dubbed the “king of fruits” is not only delicious, but packed with vitamins and healthy benefits. For example, reach for a mango, a fruit native southern Asia, to ward off heart disease and leukemia, as well as colon, breast or prostate cancer. Incorporate the king of fruits into your diet this season to stay healthy and eat deliciously.

Eat right, live well: Turn to tomatoes for flavor, nutritional benefitsJul 6, 2013 2:02 PMBy Toby Smithson
Botanically speaking, the tomato is a fruit, specifically a berry. But that didn’t stop the U.S. Supreme Court in 1983 from deciding it’s a vegetable when it came to how the plant was taxed. No matter what the classification, tomatoes burst with health benefits.

Eat Right, Live Well: Is a gluten-free diet right for you?May 9, 2013 6:34 AMBy Toby Smithson
It may seem as though everyone is going gluten free these days based on products marketed in grocery stores, bookstores or on health blogs. But are these products right for you? First, a gluten-free diet is not a weight-loss diet. More than 90 percent of the population does not need to worry about gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye that gives bread its elasticity.